SymBioSE 2011: impressions...

WOW!! SymBioSE experience cannot be easily described with words. You have to breathe it, taste it, feel it and most importantly LIVE it. But if I must write something, here it goes...

We were welcomed in Basel by organizers and little helpers who tried their best to make 15th SymBioSE unforgettable – and they most certainly did! This was the first time SymBioSE was organized in Switzerland – paradise for hikers, chocolate and cheese lovers.

Reunion of old Symbionts and making friends with new ones was the central event on the first day. During the Symposium we enjoyed many keynote talks from invited professors and experts in the field of biology and student presentations where we learned about new trends in biology. During the breaks in between lectures we enjoyed many eye-pleasing student posters and we were given a chance to participate in student workshops where we could discuss biology, sometimes even beyond the boundaries of biology. We made the most of our free time by going to educational, relaxing and fun excursions. And in the evening we were able to learn about culture and customs of participating countries, followed by all-night-long dancing and socializing.

The most crucial part of the experience is making long-lasting friendships with open-minded, energizing, ambitious and fun people that for once will not look at you like you just came from Mars because you are interested in Green mould disease or the inhibition of cell proliferation by a microRNA molecule. With Symbionts I felt like “home”.

Convincing enough? YES. So join the community of Symbionts and learn about the “spirit of SymBioSE” where we cherish:

Biology. Friendship. Culture.

Bojana Kriznik, Croatia (participant SymBioSE 2011)

Important announcement

We are repeating this for those of you, dear Symbionts, who didn't receive an email:

SymBioSE is no less than TEN days away from now! We experience a very exciting final phase where we see all the missing links to appeare and the gaps to fill up. As you might have noticed on the facebook page, the Abstract Booklet is finnished and the Survival Guide is in print. If you already want to check it out, you can have a look here:

Abstract Booklet: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/378156/AbstractBook_SymBioSE2011_final.pdf
Survival Guide: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/378156/SymBioSE_Survival-Guide.pdf


You will receive a printed copy of each on your arrival day, so please do NOT print it. On the last page, you also find the latest version of the exciting programme that awaits you ^^


Now for the INFO part (please read it carfully until the end!):

1) We put together a small description, how you can reach the SymBioSE check-in event on your arrival day:

Link: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/378156/SymBioSE_MeetingPoint.pdf


Registration will be on 27.07.2011 preferentially between 12am und 5pm in front of Basel BackPack in the Gundeldingerfeld. If you arrive later, don't worry, someone will always be there to welcome you.

If you can't find us call or send an SMS to:
Joëlle +41 79 261 25 63 or
Uta +41 78 708 22 18


2) Some of you payed a little bit too less or a little bit too much. We will ballance this on your day of arrival in Swiss Francs, cash. If this concernes you, please bring the right amount of cash with you.

3) Student presentations: Make sure that your presentation is ready. There is no time during the symposium to prepare slides. All presentations will be held between 28.-30.7.2011.

4) Country presentations:
Like in 2007 (for those who may remember), this year will feature a different take on country presentations: Instead of presenting your own country, you will get in touch with participants from another country and then present each others country. Whether you actually do it together on stage or just after one another is completely up to you.

We hope that in this way, you will get some inside views on your partner country and a head start in getting to know other participants. We have made pairs and advise you to get in contact with your partner country. Should you have any questions, concerns or problems, feel free, to pop us an email and we will get back to you. We also need some volunteers to go on thursday, the 28th of July. That is a bit of challenge, we have faith in you all :) Please contact us (program@symbiose2011.ch) if you think you can make it. When checking the participants list (in the abstract booklet) for email-addresses, please do not forget that - in symbiose - your country of origin is always the country where you study, not the one on your passport.

The pairings are:

Germany & Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ukraine & Bulgaria
Spain & Latvia
United Kingdom & Italy
France & Slovak Republic
Poland & Serbia
Czech Republic & Belgium
Portugal & Greece
Slovenia & Georgia
Macedonia & Brazil
Estonia & Croatia
The Netherlands & Finland
Turkey & Russia

5) Workshops:
More choices to make... At the moment we are arranging the workshops excursions. Places and time is limited, so we want to roughly know who likes what to make sure you can attend what you want to attend: Please help us (and yourself :) ) by answering the survey. Thank you! This is just a survey - not a final committment.

Link: goo.gl/7QrWW


6) Packing list:
Please take a look at our packing list, so will be well equipped and can enjoy the symposium as much as possible!

Link: http://www.symbiose.eu.org/2011/faq.html#10


7) Special Packing list for the 3-day-excursion (important!):

Link: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/378156/Packing-List_Excursion.pdf


8) If you present a poster, please do not forget it. We will have a special poster session on the 30th of July, but the posters will hang for several days :-)
So, don't forget to bring it! ;-)

9) Like in previous SymBioSE events, the social part is very important and always great fun. If you play a musical instrument, please feel free to bring it along.

10) At last, something special to enjoy :-) If you want to know more about Switzerland and it native inhabitants, have a look at some scanned pages of the "Xenophobe's Guide to the Swiss" :-D "Xenophobe's" guides are known for their overexaggerations. So, don't take everything litterally, although this book might bear more true insights than we Swiss would like to admit ;-)

Link: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/378156/Xenophobe.pdf


Looking forward to seeing you soooon!!
your Swiss Symbionts

Look at me!

Here is some nice stuff, that Joëlle has sent to us recently:

http://www.webcam-basel.ch/

follow this link to see Basel in real time!

Program updates

Hi, folks! We've just received an updated version of the SymBioSE program from our dearest organizers! Interested? Download in PDF or as MS Excel file

Urgent updates

Dear Symbionts, we are glad to announce that participants have been chosen. All applicants will receive an e-mail with either "Accepted", "Waiting list" or "Rejected" mark, corresponding to our decision.

We also would like to warn you that upon receiving the email from organizers you should confirm your application by April 13th, 2011 by sending ot to participation (at) symbiose2011.ch.

One more update is regarding the participation fee. Now we can say for sure that it will be CHF 200.- (150 euros) and it is due by April, 27th.

Apply! Do it!

As you all know, applications are open now (actually, we have been accepting filled registration forms since January 1st). Still haven't changed your decision about coming this year to Switzerland? For sure, this is the time to tell us ;)

More details on our website. Put your cursor here and click to see!